This spectacular plate really is such a fabulous treat! I call it “butternut carpaccio” because of the thin round slices, but here’s where the similarities end. Fried butternut gets a generous brushing with a delicious apple glaze and is then topped with all things sweet, sour, salty and crunchy, creating a true flavour explosion.
The Flavour Affair:
Butternut Squash + Apple + Nutmeg + Sugar + Pecans + Pomegranate + Feta + Greens + Lemon
This combination will wow you and your co-diners with its incredible taste and beautiful presentation alike. I’ve made many variations of butternut carpaccio, and this is hands down my favourite.
Butternut Squash is a type of pumpkin with a bulbous base and long cylindrical “neck”. With its mellow, sweet and buttery taste it provides a perfect backdrop for bright, sharp flavours and textures.
Apple‘s tart sweetness makes it a great companion for the unassuming butternut. Here, I add apple in the form of a glaze for a more concentrated flavour that can stand out. I use green apple juice, which is more on the sour side, and add apple cider vinegar for its fruity, refreshing acidity.
Nutmeg is there to bring in more variety of sweet nuances. You can also use other sweet spices instead, such as cinnamon or cloves. But I really like nutmeg’s woody and musky notes, they add a soothing feel and create more depth and complexity.
Brown sugar helps thicken the glaze, imparts caramel-y sweetness and an attractive golden hue.
For my carefully curated toppings, I chose candied crunchy pecans, tart and juicy pomegranate, briny salty feta and bittery peppery greens. Together, they complement the flavours of glazed butternut and bring in the missing elements. A drizzle of lemon juice makes for a perfect zesty finish.
Preparation tips for Butternut Carpaccio with Apple Glaze:
- Cut your squash really thinly from the ‘neck’ down until you reach the hollow part. Try to make the slices about 2mm each so that they cook through faster.
- If you have a grill pan, use it for frying – dark grill marks on deep orange looks amazing.
- A lot of flavour will come from the glaze, so no need to season the butternut – just fry it in a little oil.
- To prepare the glaze, simply pour the apple juice onto a hot sauce pan, add brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Add ground nutmeg, a splash of apple cider vinegar and simmer to reduce.
- Use a silicon brush to coat the butternut slices with the warm glaze. If you don’t have a brush, use a spoon. But next time you pass by a kitchenware store, get the brush 🙂
- Prepare a quick dressing and toss the greens in it before arranging them over the carpaccio. This makes their texture a bit juicier. (For the greens, I use a mix of ruccola and baby beets).
- For candies pecans, dissolve 1 tsp of brown sugar in 2 tbsp of water, wait for bubbles to form and add a handful of nuts. Move them around until the liquid thickens and caramelizes.
Serving suggestions:
When ready to serve, scatter over the toppings. I absolutely love the selection in this recipe, but you can experiment and pick your own favourite garnishes! Micro greens and edible flours, dried barberries or cranberries, pine nuts or almonds all make for delicious alternatives. If you prefer it vegan, skip feta and add salted almonds, very thinly sliced olives, a drizzle of tahini sauce or just an extra pinch of salt.
Have you tried it? Let me know in comments what you think!
***
Butternut Carpaccio with Apple Glaze
Equipment
- 1 grill pan
- 1 small sauce pan
Ingredients
For the carpaccio:
- The non-hollow part of a medium butternut squash peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups mixed greens
- 1 tbsp caramelized pecans
- 1 tbsp crumbled feta
- 1 tbsp pomegranate jewels
- A wedge of lemon to squeeze over the plate
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the glaze:
- 200 ml green apple juice
- A splash of apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp each ground cinnamon and cloves
For the dressing:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat the pan to medium-high, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and fry the slices of butternut in a single layer for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned and softened. Repeat with the remaining slices.
- Heat a small sauce pan to medium-high. Add apple juice and brown sugar and stir to dissolve.
- Add vinegar and nutmeg and simmer to reduce.
- Arrange the butternut slices on a plate and brush them with the glaze.
- Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together.
- Toss the greens with the dressing and arrange on top of carpaccio.
- Scatter over caramelized pecans, pomegranate jewels and crumbled feta.
- Finish off with a drizzle of lemon juice and a grind of black pepper mill.
Notes
- You can skip the dressing, just focus more on the green leaves when squeezing over the lemon juice.
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